Resonator attachment for pianos



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALOYS BRAMBACIIfOF DOL'GEVILLE, NEWT YORK.

RESONATOR ATTACHMENT FOR PlANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.y 585,461, dated J une29, 1897.

.plies/cion tiled February 11, 1897. Serial No. 62 2,943. (No model.)

To all `whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoYs BRAMBACH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dol geville, in the county'pf Herkimer and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iii ResonatorAttachments for Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a tone carrier constructed substantially ashereinafter described and claimed.

To this end my invention consists of areson ator attachment constructedof a hardwood frame and adapted to be secured to the back and top of anordinary upright, grand, or square piano, being merely a question ofform andy size.

My invention consists, further, of a swell applied to -saidnresonatorattachment and a suitable mechanism connecting it with the rpedals, sothat it may be conveniently operated by the performer.

In the accompanying draWingaFigurel is a View in perspective of myimproved reso nator4 attachment. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection of the resonator attachment secured to a piano. Fig:A 3 is afragmental view in perspective, showing the upper portion 'of theresonator attachment in its oper-V ative position. Fig. 4 is afragmental view showing the connection between the pedal and the swell.Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts.

` The resonator attachment A is constructed of ahard-wood frame ofsubstantially the sam e length and width of the back of an ordinaryupright piano pr bottom of grand and square piano,`to which it isadapted to be attached by screws or any suitable fastening means. Theframe is provided at its upper portion with an outward extension A',which projects a suitable distance beyond the body of the frame and isadapted to rest upon the top of the piano. In a grand or square thisextension is not required. This extension forms a continuation of theframe A and serves to carry the tone upwardly and forwardly into the Theframe A is provided with suitable strc'ngthening-braces and ispreferably constructed of hard resonant wood and is ini namented andpresents a highly ornamental addition to the piano. vA felt lining b isplaced at the places coming in contact with the piano, whichv is aprincipal feature-viz.,` to isolate the sounding-board or resonatortended to be highly polished and suitably or from `the actualsounding-board of pianos, l.

thus making each of them act and vibrate independently. Y

\ In the opening of the extension A are suitthrown free and unobstructedinto the room.

From the construction and material the frame acts as an additionalsounding-board and greatly augments the power of the tone and improvesits yquality and thus greatly increases the strength and duration of thecrescendo. IVhen the slats a' are'closed tightly, the tone issoftened,though great-ly sustained by reason of the increase in the power of thesounding-board by the independent sounding-board of the resonatorattachment. In this position a diminuendo is obtained of. supefl'iortone quality. Vhen' the slats a are rapidly vibrated, a powerfulsustained tremoloresults, giving an' eiective imitation of the humanvoice. p

My improved resonator attachment is highly ornamental, easily operated,and very eective and carries the tone of an ordinary `upright piano intothe'roon'" or *hall where it is wanted,.thus enabling a performer to beheard in a large audience. It rounds oi the tone quality and increasesits power and enables the player to obtain results of diminuendo andcrescendo hitherto unknown.

I am aware that it is not new to adapt the ordinary caseof an uprightpiano so that the tone may be carried and increased, but my improvedresonator attachment diiers from such in -providing a separatedetachable frame which can be applied to any upright,

grand, or square piano now in use and which envelops the entire back andtop or bottom thereof. Further, myimproved resonator at tachmen t,having its own independent sonnd ing-board, doubles the Volume of thetone produced.

Having thus described my invention, 'l claim as new and desire to Secureby Letters Patenty' I n a resonator attachment, the Combination of' ahard-Wood frame, a forwardly-projecting extension at the-u pperportionLhQleadapted to rest upon the top of a piano, ,eans for removablysecuring said resonator attach mont to a piano, a series of slatspivoted in the front portion of said extension, and suitable meansconnected with the podais for operating said slats, substantially as setforth. In testimony that I Aclaim the foregoing as my invention I havesigned my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALOYS BR.^.MBACH. Yfitnessee:

'HARVEY' REDES,

nnninmsn HEINRICH.

